Union Drops Season Opener to Wisconsin
SCHENECTADY, NY - The Union College women's ice hockey team
opened the season with a 5-0 loss to two-time defending national
champion and top-ranked University of Wisconsin Friday at Messa
Rink. The Dutchwomen were backstopped by junior goaltender Lundy
Day (Calgary, AB), who stopped a career high-tying 37 shots in her
Union debut.
Union killed off the Badgers' first power play of the game, but
Wisconsin found the back of the net 29 seconds into its second
extra-man opportunity in the first period. Junior defender Alycia
Matthews (Castlegar, BC) netted the game-winner just over 13
minutes into the contest. Hilary Knight (Hanover, NH) took a feed
from Malee Windmeier (Champlin, MN) in the left circle and passed
across to Matthews who fired from the top of the right circle for
her second career goal.
Three minutes later, junior Angie Keseley (St. Louis Park, MN)
knocked in a loose puck to give the Badgers a 2-0 lead. Windmeier
fired from the blue line, but her shot was stopped by Day. The
rebound was tipped out by sophomore Meghan Duggan (Danvers, MA) and
flipped in by Keseley high on Day's stick side.
Emily Kranz (Waukesha, WI) found a loose puck from Kayla Hagen
(Crosslake, MN) in front of Union's net late in the second period
and slid it past Day inside the far post to give Wisconsin a
three-goal cushion.
Union came on stronger in the third period, as the Dutchwomen
registered five shots in the stanza while holding the Badgers to
11. Senior tri-captain Maeve Kehoe (Chelsea, QC) stripped the puck
from a defender less than three minutes in the frame. She turned
and fired from the left faceoff dot, but Wisconsin netminder Jessie
Vetter (Cottage Grove, WI) kept the Dutchwomen off the board. Kehoe
led the Dutchwomen at the faceoff dot, winning 10 of 16 draws.
Freshman Kelly Fleming (Lake Placid, NY) sent a slapshot from the
right point after a Wisconsin defensive miscue, but her shot
careened off of Vetter's blocker.
Wisconsin netted two goals midway through the third period, the
first coming on the power play at 7:08. Rachel Bible (Black River
Falls, WI) passed to Keseley behind the net, who then centered the
puck across the crease to the stick of Kayla Hagen (Crosslake, MN).
Hagen slid the puck just inside the post for her 13th
career goal.
Mallory Deluce (London, ON) added the Badgers' fifth goal at 10:57,
assisted by Jinelle Zaugg (Eagle River, WI) and Knight.
Vetter finished with five saves, all in the final period, while Day
stopped 37 - including 16 in the first period.
The two teams face off again on Saturday evening in a 7 p.m. game
at Messa Rink.
